Social media policy and employees communication
Today, communication and sharing of information have been made easier and faster with the evolution of social media. Any event happening anywhere all over the world can be captured and circulated across the globe within a short period. Therefore, organizations have become concerned with how their employees communicate and what kind of information is shared through social media (Crawford, 2005). Furthermore, this is aimed at protecting the public image of the organization. Based on Alder (2003), advancement in technology has seen the development of surveillance devices that has increased employees’ workplace monitoring. Foley (2005) observes that many organizations are incorporating social media clauses in the employment contract. There is an increasing trend of employees being fired for violation of the organization’s social media policy (Gosset, 2012). For example, an employee of Brixx restaurant lost her job in the year 2010 because of her Facebook post. She had posted a complaint concerning a customer who had used the restaurant table for three hours and left 5$ tip that she considered small. Brix Company fired the employee by claiming that her Facebook complaint about the customer violated the company policy, which was well known to her. However, the Brix restaurant’s decision to fire her worked effectively despite being harsh. It sounded a warning to other employees who would be tempted to violate the social media policy. Besides, her dismissal creates confidence that the public’s concerns are well protected by the Brixx Company, hence promoting the right organizational image.
The national labor relations law does not prohibit the organization from coming up with a policy regarding social media. Such policies do not interfere with individual rights and employees’ privacy or do not fall under mutual communication (O’Brien, 2011). This means that Brixx Company was within its mandate to execute its firing decision since its social media policy was apparent and communicated to the employee. However, if it was the first time and there was no warning for the employee, firing her was unfair since it went against a fair dismissal process where an individual is supposed to be given a notice.
Conclusion
Social media policies are reasonable to protect the image of the organization. Organizational image is very crucial in promoting business. Violation of social media policies needs to be punished. Therefore, Brixx decision to fire the employee over Facebook post worked very well for the organization’s image.
References
Gossett, L. M., & May, S. (2012). Fired over Facebook. Case studies in organizational communication: Ethical perspectives and practices, 207-217.
Henman, P., & Adler, M. (2003). Information technology and the governance of social security. Critical Social Policy, 23(2), 139-164.
O’Brien, C. N. (2011). First Facebook Firing Case under Section 7 of the National Law Relations Act: Exploring the Limits of Labor Law Protection for Concerted Communication on Social Media, k The. Suffolk UL Rev., 45, 29.